Apparatus for the heat treatment of materials by means of molten metal



. 1,606,666 D. RIDER 1 APPARATUS FOR THE HEAT TREATMENT OF MATERIALS BYMEANS OF MOLTEN METAL Filed, April 2s 19 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 91926.'

Nov. 9 1926.

D. RIDER A APPARATUS FOR THE HEAT TREATMENT OF MATERIALS BY MEANS OFMOLTEN METAL 4 FIG. 2.

Filed April 1924 6 III m 5 I u g 2 Sheebs-Sheet 2 Patented N 0v. 9,1926.

UNITED' STATES 1,606,666 PATENT orrics.

DOUGLAS RIDER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, LASSIGNOR TO THERMAL INDUSTRIAL ANDCHEMICAL (T. I. 0.) RESEARCH COMPANY BRITISH COMPANY.

LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, A

APPARATUS FOR/THE HEAT TREATMENT OF MATERIALS BY MEANS OF MOLTEN METAL.

Application filed April 28, 1924, Serial No.

This invention relates to apparatus for causing materials to travelthrough molten metal while spread in the form of a thin layer on thesurface of a revolving disc.

6 It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus in which thetime of contact of the material with the molten metal shall be prolongednotwithstanding that the total length of the bath of metal through whichthe material travels is comparatively small and the throughput of theapparatus is comparatively large.

With this and other objects in view. ap-

. paratus has been constructed, an embodiment of which is illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

Apparatus forming the subject-matter of the invention is suitable, forexample, for the distillation of subdivided solid material,

suchas sawdust, or for the drying of powders.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 throughan apparatus constructed according to the invention; Fig.

2 is a plan, the cover having been removed; gig. 3 is a cross section online 3-3 of Fig. 4 is a detail of a driving gear, and Figs. 5, .6 and 7are enlarged views of a detail, Fig. 5 being an elevation, Fig. 6 a planI %nd Fig. 7 a cross section' on line 7-7 of i 5. i

The apparatus shown is intended primarily-for use as a still fordestructively distilling subdivided solidmaterial, but is useful forother purposes for which it may be adapted, and comprises a chamber (1having a rotary charging device 6, an outlet 0 for volatile products anda discharge chute d having a water seal 6. The still contains moltenmetal to the level f. Just above this level are shafts g turning inbearings in the sides of the still and carrying so as to rotate withthem the naves h of discs 2'. These discs are constructed of a materialwhich is not wetted by the molten metal; for example, mild steel ormachined cast-iron is suitable when a bath of molten lead is used. Thediscs on each shaft are in staggered relationship to those on adjacentshafts. Above the discs, bars k extend across'the still and to these arefixed the depending 709,622, and in Great Britain June 4, 1923.

scrapers shown in'detail in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The scraper consists of astrip of metal Z bent at right angles and of width substantially equalto the distance between two discs on the same shaft. The verticalportion extends to a level just below the surface of the molten metal sothat it forms a baflie preventing travel of material along the saidsurface. The horizontal portion is forked to accommodate the disc on theshaft in advance of that carrying the discs to which the scraper isapplied. Each prong of the fork is higher at its inner edge than at itsouter edge as indicated in Fig. 7, so that the outer edge of the prongforms a knife edge scraping the surface of the disc adjacent to it,while the inner edge forms a guide ensuring feed of the material to there-entrant angle between the surface of the molten metal and that of thedisc, thedirection of rotation of which is indicated by the arrows inFig. 1.

The shafts g are preferably driven by ratchet wheels m and lever pawlsn, the 1 latter being connected together by rod 0 which receives areciprocating movement from the eccentric p.

Having thus fully described the nature of the said invention and thebest means I know-for carrying the same into practical effect, Iclaim':' I

1.;Apparatus of the kind herein described comprising a chamber tocontain molten .metal, a plurality of substantially parallel not wettedby the molten metal mounted on each shaft, the shafts being spaced apartby less than the diameter of a disc and the discs b ing mounted onthe'shafts so that pair of discs on an adjaeach disc on one shaftextends in part between a pair of discs on an adjacent shaftand meansfor rotating the discs on their axes. 3. Apparatus of the kind hereindescribed comprising a chamber to contain molten metal, a plurality ofsubstantially parallel horizontal shafts mounted within the cham-.v ber,a plurality of similar discs 'ofmaterial not wetted by the molten metalmounted on each shaft, the shafts being spaced apart by less than thediameter of a disc and the discs being mounted on the shafts so thatcomprising a chamber to contain moltenmetal, a plurality ofsubstantially parallel horizontal shafts mounted within the chamher, aplurality of similar discs of material notwetted by the molten metalmounted on each shaft, the 'shafts being spaced apart by less than thediameter ,of a disc and the 'discs being mounted on the shafts so thateach disc on one shaft extends in part between a pair of discs on anadjacent shaft, partitions extending between the discs on each shaft andextending at least to the surv face'of the metal and means for rotatingthe discs on their axes.

I 5. Apparatus of the kind herein described comprising a chamber tocontain molten metal, a plurality of substantially parallel horizontalshafts mounted within the chamber, a plurality of similar discs ofmaterial not wetted by the molten metal mounted on each shaft, theshafts being spaced apart by less than the diameter of a disc' and thediscs being mounted on the shafts so that each-disc on one shaft extendsin part be tween a pair of discs on an adjacent shaft,

partitions extending between the discs on each shaft and extending at"least to the surface of the metal, means for rotating the discs ontheir axes and means below the surface of the metal for scraping eachface of each disc.

6. Apparatusiof the kind herein described comprising a chamber tocontain molten metal, a plurality of substantially parallel horizontalshafts mounted within the chamber, a plurality of similar discs ofmaterial not wetted by the molten metal mounted on each shaft, theshafts being spaced apart by less than 'the diameter of a disc and thediscs being mounted on the shafts so that each disc on one shaft extendsin part between a pair of discson an adjacent shaft, partitionsextending between the discs on each shaft and extending at least to thesurface of the metal, means for rotating the discs on their axes andmeans carried by the said partitions and extending below the surface ofthe metal for scraping each face of each disc.

7. Apparatus of the kind herein described comprising a chamber tocontain molten metal, a plurality of substantially parallel horizontalshafts mounted within the chamber, a plurality of similar discs ofmaterial not wetted by the molten metal on each shaft, the shafts beingspaced apart by less we r than the diameter of a disc and the discs thesaid discs on their axes.

' In testimony whereof I have 'slgned my name to this specification.

DOUGLAS RIDER.

